Monday, August 03, 2009

Elspeth is now officially a formula baby. After breastfeeding of late she's been irritable, extremely gassy, still hungry, and difficult to settle (most likely because of the above). However after two bottles of formula today, each time she has had very little gas and settled down well again afterwards. She just seems to react better to the bottle than the breast. I can't say I'm all that disappointed; honestly I was quite depressed and stressed about breastfeeding anyway, but willing to keep trying so long as it was best for her. But that appears to no longer be the case. Perhaps I'm just not producing enough. At least with a bottle I know just how much she's getting, which is something that had bothered me the other way - why don't breasts have measurements marked on them? Very poor design. I will do my utmost not to feel guilty about this decision; at least she had over two weeks of the good stuff, that's more than many babies get.

6 comments:

Ponita in Real Life said...

You need a gauge on each breast... like a gas tank! lol!

Breastfeeding doesn't work for everyone. At least she got some, which means she got some antibodies from you, and that is a good thing.

She's gorgeous, Stace!

Stace said...

Thanks Ponita :) I'm going to keep expressing a little, and feed her some breastmilk from a bottle... so she'll keep getting some of my antibodies and stuff... but it won't be her primary foodstuff.

Menchie said...

Hey stace! Don't feel bad or guilty, you're not alone! Lucia is also mostly formula fed although I still give her my breasts from time to time if I am around (been back at work already). Mostly in the middle of the night after she gets fed formula she wants the comfort of breastfeeding even though there's hardly any!

Anyway, my other 2 kids are formula fed too and they're ok. You'll find though that now that you are a mom, guilt is a never ending feeling. Sigh.

Cazzie!!! said...

tace, a happy mum and a happy baby equal success. You absolutely did your very best and well, you are Ace!!!
What a gorgeous image of Elspeth. You and Aidan are awesome :)

Stace said...

Menchie, you're back at work already??? That's insane! Take a REST, woman!!!

Cazzie - isn't she a cutie? Goodness how that milk got everywhere; theoretically it should go from bottle to mouth without ever seeing the open air... lol

Cazzie!!! said...

I love how you said "theoreticaly"... hehe, I kno..and you know wht, bottle feeding is just as hard to teach new parents to grasp.
One time I spent each feed session with a mum and dad and their new baby girl teaching them to keep the bell of that teat full at all times. Then, when the baby slows down, a nice break to bring the wind up..then the rest of the formula/expressed moo.
Stace, I love seeing the pics of Elspeth..she is cuteee!